The Philadelphia 76ers have turned things around and gone back to zero days without being unnecessarily dramatic. On Monday, after blowing a 19-point lead that left a Miami Heat team missing a few key rotation pieces and playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Sixers held a team meeting in the locker room, the details were announced. leaked and reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Tyrese Maxey challenged Joel Embiid for his continued tardiness and was the headliner, and there was also some rift between the coaching staff and the players. With Philadelphia sitting at 2-11 on the season, Play-In Tournament speculation has begun and ruminations are rife in the Delaware Valley over the team’s 2025 draft pick as Oklahoma City is only 1-to-6 protected . Not only are the good vibes from the offseason gone, they’ve also been sucked into the vacuum of space and pulled into a black hole.

If you’re the rare optimistic type and also happen to be a Philadelphia sports fanatic, the hopeful view is that a meet can ultimately be seen as a turning point in the season. Maybe being attacked by someone he loves and respects as much as Tyrese Maxey is the kick in the pants Embiid needed to refocus. Instead of further dividing the team, the meeting could serve to bring the team together. Of course, there’s always the more straightforward view that this week’s events are yet another pothole in the road to doom.

On another positive note, the bit in Charania’s report stated that Maxey is expected back on the field sometime this week, and has now been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game in Memphis. Even if the Sixers had to balance the injury gods by letting Kyle Lowry sit out at least the next three games with a hip injury, we could finally see the first time the Sixers have ever had Maxey, Embiid and Paul George available. together. Add in the team’s best player this season, newcomer Jared McCain, and you’re cooking on gas. That group should definitely win basketball games with a winning percentage above .154 in the future.

The Grizzlies endured a terrible season last year and have been much more normal this season, posting a respectable 8-7 record this year. They lost at home to Denver last night, 122-110, so the Sixers take a team in the second half of a back-to-back for the second straight game. Hopefully the less equipped team won’t take the lead in shocking fashion in the second half, as we saw in Miami on Monday.

Memphis won the meeting between these clubs earlier this month 124-107, with backup big man Jay Huff roasting the Sixers for 20 points in 14 minutes. The Grizzlies have some injury issues of their own, with Ja Morant (hip) and rookie Zach Edey (ankle) currently out for both weeks. Marcus Smart also missed last night’s game due to illness and GG Jackson II remains out until January with a broken foot.

On paper, tonight’s game could be where the Sixers get back on track. The Grizzlies are missing their star point guard, while Philadelphia could see their own return to action while also having the residual advantage. Win tonight and they can get back to a three-game homestand, starting with a winnable game against Brooklyn on Friday with some momentum. Of course, nothing about this Sixers season has gone according to script, so let’s hope things go better after Monday’s meeting addresses the elephant in the room.

Game details

WHO: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
When: 8:00 PM ET
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
Radio: 97.5 The fanatic
To follow: @LibertyBallers